What To Expect From Mark Duffner
October 21st, 2018
Philosophy.
Today marks the second time the Bucs have had a new defensive coordinator since Lovie Smith stunk up the sidelines.
Since, despite upgrades, the defense has gotten worse!
This is why the Bucs promoted veteran coach Mark Duffner to the top rung on the defensive side of the ball last week. But what can we expect from the Woody Hayes protege?
Frankly, there isn’t a whole lot that can be changed on a defense in less than a week. It is unlikely Duffner will be able to put his full stamp on the defense today.
That doesn’t mean Duffner’s defense won’t look different. He sort of hinted that last week.
“I believe our approach has always been we play defense as aggressively as we possibly can,” Duffner said. “That doesn’t define meaning necessarily all blitz or pressure. That means that you play hard, that you play physical, you play smart – all those words kind of go into that word, ‘aggressive.’
“You can play aggressive coverage and be in zone defense. You can play aggressive run defense and not be in a pressure situation, so I think aggressive and physical is what we’ve got to be on defense. Defense has no room for being soft.”
Now Joe likes to look at a guy’s history to get an idea of what a coach might do. Not sure if Joe has to go all the way back to when Duffner was a grad assistant at Ohio State in the 1970s, but going back to the Buckeye State is a good start.
Duffner worked six years alongside famed NFL assistant Dick LeBeau in Cincinnati first as a linebackers coach and then succeeding LeBeau as defensive coordinator when LeBeau was promoted to head coach.
LeBeau was notorious for blitzing. When he was the defensive coordinator of the Steelers, Pittsburgh was known as “Blitzburg.” You can do the math.
So if Joe had to guess, more Bucs blitzes will be seen today and in the future. But does Duffner have the time to teach his defenders the art of blitzing?
Even when the Bucs blitzed under Smith, it was like tapping an empty keg. A waste of time.
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October 21st, 2018 at 8:26 am
Need to see some sneaky corner blitzes. Against a rookie QB it could generate a big turnover. I just want to see some freaking heart and fight out there today. GO BUCS!
October 21st, 2018 at 8:46 am
I really don’t expect this defense to perform well…….
A week is too short for a def cord install new schemes
and
we just dont have the players in the secondary
October 21st, 2018 at 8:46 am
What the heck do you think an old kooky linebacker coach is going to do differently? Lol you guys think he calls a man defense when Smith would call zone lmao. You think all of a sudden are DB’s are going to turn into NFL caliber players? Were finished Bucs fans. We don’t have the horses and its really sad.
October 21st, 2018 at 8:51 am
With our linebackers blowing their gaps and covering air, I expect 0 improvement.
October 21st, 2018 at 8:53 am
If the Bucs lose today it will mark the total collapse of this organization.
October 21st, 2018 at 9:05 am
richbucsfan
An organization that has 1 good year in 42 cant collapse. You have to matter to collapse. Dungy teams were 1 dimensional pretenders who could not win when it matters.. Thankfully Gruden was able to clen up the dungy mess and get 1 good year out of the underachieving has beens. Team has not won a meaningful game in NEARLY two decades and has not even played in a meaningful game in 11 years. Reality is truly a beotch
October 21st, 2018 at 9:07 am
Disagree. Lots of factors will help our Defense play better this week: emphasis (and execution) of tackling, run fits, one on one matchups , matching up in the zones. Those things can be emphasized and fixed immediately. I absolutely hate cliches and especially when applying them to one team (when every team preaches it), but it’s the “do your job” thing. We have the horses to play better, be complimentary, and win this one. We will I think. Go Bucs!
October 21st, 2018 at 9:10 am
@WyomingBucsFan
I also agree that the Bucs don’t have the personnel to perform at a high level. That blame goes to Jason Licht. He decided that an inconsistent and often injured VHIII and a 35yr old CB could be the outside CBs, he drafted two DBs but they need more experience, which is why I wanted Licht to bring in another veteran DB to sure up the secondary. Like clockwork: Brent Grimes gets injured, misses the first game, VHIII gets injured and is on IR for the season and what do the Bucs have left? Two inexperienced CBs and a 35 yr old DB who seems to be a former shell of himself.
October 21st, 2018 at 9:16 am
@Reach87
Look man,
Open your damn eyes. This is the same coaching staff minus one guy. Same soft players and do you really think these coaches haven’t been practicing the same exact things you think all of a sudden will be emphasized? Its not coaching people its players that have no heart and more importantly no football intelligence.
October 21st, 2018 at 9:21 am
TODAY THE D NEEDS TO SHOW THAT IT WAS THE COACH AND HIS SCHEME, OR LACK OF COACHING AND SCHEME!
But if they come out as a bunch POSERS as the last 3 years, then we know its the players…i mean POSERS!
ACT LIKE MEN, ACT LIKE NFL FOOTBALL PLAYERS LIKE JPP AND SHOW US WHATS UP NOW!
October 21st, 2018 at 9:22 am
I like to look at a guys record as a coach. Very few of the teams he was a part of were playoff teams.
October 21st, 2018 at 9:22 am
Youd think the bye week would have been a better time for a new dc, but what do we know.
I expect a much different defense. LaBeau is known for inventing the zone blitz. So anyone can be blitzing on any play. De’s can be dropping into coverage. Now who knows how creative Duffner will get with only a week to prepare but i expect a much different look. The zone blitz is meant to confuse defenses and not be so predictable, exactly the opposite of the last 2 seasons of garbage smitty threw out there. We will know alot about Duffner after today. Go Bucs
October 21st, 2018 at 9:24 am
Saw Lovie stink up the sidelines in Camp Randall yesterday in a weather smorgasbord of rain, ice, and snow. But for two or three plays, a total A kicking as the flaming Illini went down in pile of smoldering rubble. Priceless…but cold. cold…and colder.
October 21st, 2018 at 9:26 am
WyomingBucsFan
Say what you want but this game will come down to the final minutes. Let’s just hope our offense gets off to a fast start. We just can’t be down by 3 scores at halftime and expect the defense to play lights out in the second half.
October 21st, 2018 at 9:27 am
If he just has the corners play less than 10 yards off of the line of scrimmage it will be a significant change.
October 21st, 2018 at 9:32 am
Same secondary and LB’s and now Spence. Without GMC I expect the Bucs to give up even more running yards. This defense is a total embarrassment and Duffner is not going to change that in one week. Message to defense, quit dancing and start playing.
October 21st, 2018 at 9:36 am
Blitz almost every down….man on man on the wideouts! I like Baker but make him EAT DIRT!!!!!!
October 21st, 2018 at 9:37 am
It’s mind blowing to me that fans think they know more then career NFL coaches that are paid millions to coach. I am not so narcissistic that i think i know where a cornerback should line up better then a NFL defensive coach. Believe me when i tell you that there’s a reason our DB’s line up where they do. Everyone is going to see today how much this team sucks. Go Bucs lmao
October 21st, 2018 at 9:38 am
WyomingBucsFan is 100% right
October 21st, 2018 at 9:40 am
Good luck Coach Duffner! Give us some good defense please.
October 21st, 2018 at 9:48 am
Bucsanthem
At least 99 percent wrong you mean. Its all about coaching in a league where the talent is equal. You’ll see a taste today when a self proclaimed aggressive coordinator takes over. If its 100 percent the players i wonder how the Rams went from terrible to the playoffs with a coaching change last year. Other teams too. Wake up.
October 21st, 2018 at 9:51 am
In last week’s game the falcons did the unthinkable. They lined up Beasely and Mckinnley against the left side of our line. You know the bad side. They rushed their two best pass rusher against our two worst o linemen and recorded a sack. That is called creating a pass rush through matchups, I understand if this all seems foreign to Bucs fans as we haven’t seen anything like it here in Tampa.
Our blitzes have been mostly useless because we send an extra guy out two, but when was the last time we just overloaded one side to create a free runner into the backfield? Other teams do this a couple times a game.
October 21st, 2018 at 9:52 am
Actually Lovie Smith had a Top-10 defense in total yards. Their problem was giving up points. That’s where penalties, offensive turnovers, poor special team play played a major part.
The Bucs wish they had Lovie defense
October 21st, 2018 at 9:53 am
They blitzed a bunch of times last week and it did nothing.
“You can play aggressive coverage and be in zone defense”
So no press?
I’m withholding judgement for a couple weeks, but it seems to me adding press coverage would have the biggest impact.
October 21st, 2018 at 9:55 am
Notice Duffner’s quote. He is telling everyone whats wrong. He clearly states that this defense plays soft. Why would these players just flip a switch and play physical now. I think back to the Steelers game and just remember being jealous of how physical the Steelers defense played. Its unbelievable how soft this group is. This is the second year in a row 80% of the defense has laid down. Its not scheme guys, its players that just want to collect checks.
October 21st, 2018 at 9:56 am
@Bonzai, yeah, that was Ryan….this is Mayfield + his O line. Different animal.
October 21st, 2018 at 9:58 am
The failure of the defense has been half the fault of the players and half on the defensive coaches.
No excuse for ANY of the defensive staff…including Duffner.
There is a slight excuse for the players…4 rookies and 5 new defensive veteran players, most in starting roles. The vets will always need a few games. The rookies usually need 1-3 years.
October 21st, 2018 at 10:03 am
Ok
if the bucs get their asses beat by immobile QBs like Ryan
Now imagine the bucs trying to stop a mobile QB like Baker Mayfiled who plays with fire and gusto?????
I’m telling you guys now……this will absolutely kill the bucs .
If the defense has trouble covering the pass…..now imagine them trying to do that and also trying to defend against a mobile QB??????
The defense simply cannot do both and that’s exactly the offense the Browns going to run today……I GUARANTEE IT!!!!!!!!!!!
October 21st, 2018 at 10:06 am
@MadMax
I hope so. Miracle improvements have happened for teams before. The Bucs are certainly due.
Getting back to .500 this week would be nice. A week ago, I expected a winning streak.
Maybe it’s because my wife being gone 3 weeks because her bro had a stroke and went into a coma is wearing thin, but my faith is a bit low this week.
October 21st, 2018 at 10:15 am
@Bonzai, sorry to hear that man….I think if JPP wakes the guys up, stops them from dancing until the game is over (even if their up by 50), then a good change just might be possibly coming.
October 21st, 2018 at 10:17 am
That’s exactly right. Lovie had more success as a head coach than Mike Smith or Dirk Koetter will ever have.
Lovie must had really rubbed Joe (we all know which one) the wrong way.
Note the lack of outrage on social media when Mike Smith was fired and compare that to when Lovie was fired. Joe and the rest of the media didn’t like Lovie personally, but the reason why the Bucs are in this predicament is not because of Lovie Smith. That falls directly on Jason Licht.
October 21st, 2018 at 10:18 am
Dufner may be able to heal the sick, but raising the dead is way above his pay grade.
October 21st, 2018 at 10:20 am
If Bucs corners are playing closer than 30 feet to the guy they are defending all game, I’ll consider that an improvement.
October 21st, 2018 at 10:40 am
Unless he completely changes the coverage scheme, we can expect more of the same.
October 21st, 2018 at 10:43 am
“NPRSageBoy Says:
October 21st, 2018 at 10:18 am
Dufner may be able to heal the sick, but raising the dead is way above his pay grade.”
Baaaaaaaaaaaaaawhaaaaaaaahaahahahahah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Good sheit meng!!!!!
October 21st, 2018 at 10:51 am
@lakeland
What is this recent obsession of yours with trying to blame all the defensive problems on the offense. That’s just loony tunes my dude.
October 21st, 2018 at 10:53 am
Nothing matter but WINNING. And if the Bucs cannot put pressure on Mr. Mayfield, its gonna be another long day at the office for us. He throws better when he’s running out of the pocket. So we gotta get to him fast. Good Luck with that. Yes, its just that simple Buc fans. This will be a shootout.
October 21st, 2018 at 11:18 am
SchwiftyBuc
9 offensive turnovers in 3 games isn’t that bad
Unless you’re trying to win football games
October 21st, 2018 at 11:19 am
I will be interested to see how we play without GMC & Curry…..also, Noah Spence……something tells me we will see a sack or two from Noah….hope so.
October 21st, 2018 at 11:21 am
I’m not trying to blame any unit for the Bucs losses
They lose as a team
EVERY unit contribute to the losses
October 21st, 2018 at 11:21 am
Honestly this is REALLY a simple fix in the secondary….
If you are playing ZONE coverage, line up FIVE yards off the LOS, AND NOT TEN PLUS yards and then start back-peddling!!! Soooo freaken help me, if I see Ryan Smith pull that same crap as last week, I will hurl my remote thru my TV!!!
This is such COMMON SENSE, and they pay these guys millions of dollars here. You don’t see other teams doing this at all in zone coverage. How the hell did our CBS start doing this. Makes me wanna punch coach Hoke cuz this is on him as well.
Personally I wanna see these CBS right on the LOS and be physical with WR’s and reroute them. Then you’ll see our D-line with better pressure.
FOOTBALL 101 🤦🏻♂️!!
October 21st, 2018 at 11:22 am
As I recall, the entire fanbase was relieved when Lovie was fired.
October 21st, 2018 at 11:27 am
Buccaneer Bonzai
You recall wrong
October 21st, 2018 at 11:35 am
The defense HAS to play with a fire under their shorts… otherwise, Koetter has lost the locker room.
I don’t have a lot of faith in Duffner, since his year as defensive coordinator was almost as bad as our current defense. But if he can light a fire in our guys, then maybe we stand a chance.
#MakeRayJayGreat
October 21st, 2018 at 11:37 am
Bonzai is 100% right!!!!!!
Put down the crack pipe and the stupidity Lakeland
October 21st, 2018 at 11:39 am
Stupidity?
It seems like the stupidity is on the Bucs and their fanbase
The NFL WORST defense in NFL history
Since they fired Lovie
October 21st, 2018 at 11:42 am
I don’t know guys. Just saw pictures of bucs arriving at the stadium. They obviously coordinated thier outfits today so well and with so much swag that i can’t see us losing today. Go Bucs!
October 21st, 2018 at 11:43 am
May the better team win, Go Bucs!
October 21st, 2018 at 11:44 am
Lakeland
Are trying to tell me that you were not relieved when Lovie was fired?????
I’m not talking about 3 years later either…..
Do you not remember how lovie switched out DBs more than a baby pooping his diapers??????????????????
and they still sucked
Lovie is the reason Chris Conte-spation was brought here……yeah…….that’s bad
October 21st, 2018 at 11:44 am
Don’t shoot me
I’m just the messenger
Delivering the facts
I don’t live on Fantasy Island with Mr.Roarke and Tattoo
October 21st, 2018 at 11:46 am
dance dance, dance dance, they’re a dancing machine watch get down, watch em get down, with the boog boog boog boog, boogie machine, dance dance, dance dance, watch em get down, by 23 get down, get down, i smell another loss, dancing machine
October 21st, 2018 at 11:48 am
Lakeland seems to have forgotten the 56-0 game vs Atlanta under Lovie. Or the You like that game. Or getting schooled by Derek Anderson and Matt Hasslebeck and Austin Davis.
Or how about the Sit down and shut up game. 2015, Bucs are 6-6 and gearing up to play the Saints at home, good ol Russel Shepherd was hyping up the locker room trying to get them pumped for the game, but Lovie thought he was using too many swear words so he told everyone to sit down and shut up. The Bucs proceeded to come out, you guessed it, “Flat.” I was at that game.
We ended up losing 24-17 after Dontae Dye dropped a perfectly thrown 60 yard deep ball that hit him right square in the hands, he could have waltzed into the end zone if he caught it. But anyway, in such a close game, killing your teams vibe just because you’re having a get off my lawn moment was not a smart thing to do there.
And on top of that, Lovie refused to fire his son and old man Nickel coach even though it was clear they sucked at their job. He needed to go. And its worth mentioning that his tenure at Illinois hasn’t served to silence Lovies critics.
October 21st, 2018 at 11:51 am
@Lakeland
LOL
no shooting bruh…….and I’m NOT saying your wrong statistically either….but LOVIE WAS BAD………..look how Illinois is doing…they’re playing like vomit and his SON is the DBs coach too!!!! UGHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!
October 21st, 2018 at 11:53 am
@Joe … “But does Duffner have the time to teach his defenders the art of blitzing? Even when the Bucs blitzed under Smith, it was like tapping an empty keg. A waste of time.”
I’m astonished Joe. Why hasn’t Duffner been ‘teaching his defenders the art of blitzing’ all along? You mean LVD & Kwon & Taylor don’t know how to blitz yet? And I thought that defensive game-planning was a collaborative effort on the Bucs (at least according to one JBF article last week). With our defense missing GMC & Curry this week, I’m just not sure what to expect from our DLine in terms of opening holes for any of our other defenders to penetrate through. Who knows, maybe it’ll do better. Or not …
October 21st, 2018 at 11:53 am
SchwiftyBuc
You mush have forgotten the 6 games that the Bucs defense held teams to 20 points or under
And don’t forget the 7 games that the offense scored 18 points or less
And the OC get promoted to Head Coach
Only the BUCS
October 21st, 2018 at 11:54 am
**must**
October 21st, 2018 at 11:55 am
Mariotta is trash, so glad we drafted Winston
October 21st, 2018 at 11:57 am
Derwin James is solid for the Chargers
October 21st, 2018 at 11:59 am
Lakeland
You must have forgotten that the OC got hired because our #1 overall pick Rookie QB threw for 4000+ Yards 22 TD’s and had 6 Rushing TD’s. While also resurrecting Doug Martin while getting 1000 yards from scrimmage out of Charles Sims.
You also seem to have forgotten how simple it was to beat Lovies D. Slant, Slant, Slant, Slant, Slant, Slant, Touchdown. Almost every damn time. He had to go.
October 21st, 2018 at 12:01 pm
Common sense says….your playing a rookie QB who is a little beat up….BLITZ!!
October 21st, 2018 at 12:02 pm
Derwin is definitely solid, would have been a good pick. Minkah Fitzpatrick is solid as well. But you know what? Vita Vea was a good pick too. He has the physical tools to be an unstoppable force. He’s a stonger, more athletic Haloti Ngata.
Just needs time and coaching to put it all together.
October 21st, 2018 at 12:02 pm
The Chargers will take it to another level when they get Joey Bosa back.
October 21st, 2018 at 12:04 pm
SchwiftyBuc
I’m not saying that Lovie didn’t deserve to get fired
I’m saying the Bucs could have done better than hiring Koetter to replace him
They still have coaches that Lovie hired
They hire Jon Hoke as DB coach
Hoke was Lovie DB coach in Chicago
October 21st, 2018 at 12:08 pm
Jon Hoke was DB coach when Lovie was fired
Then Marc Trestman was hired, he kept Hoke on as DB coach
Then he was fired, and Hoke was fired
Then he went to coach DBs for Steve Spurrier
And Spurrier re-sign after going 3-9
Then the Bucs hired him as their DB coach
It don’t make sense
October 21st, 2018 at 12:09 pm
Ok. If that’s the case that you’re making I agree with you mostly.
But I also think that Koetter was a pretty good hire at the time. Considering he had broke our franchise record for yards gained in a season the previous year.
Koetter could have done himself a huge favor and been much more successful if he had chosen a better DC and coaching staff. Jim Schwartz was the hire. I think the best possible timeline would have been if we had hired Sean McDermott and some how managed to retain Koetter at OC.
October 21st, 2018 at 12:10 pm
ah yes
You wanna beat the bucs defense back then……..just run “slants” all damn day long!!!!!
Ughhhhh oh the nightmares……and “Toast” Jenkins or reckless DJ Swearinger
October 21st, 2018 at 12:12 pm
I wanted Jim Schwartz as HC!!!!!!!!
October 21st, 2018 at 12:12 pm
And the Bucs are still sticking with Jon Hoke as their DB coach
It don’t make sense
October 21st, 2018 at 12:17 pm
@Lakeland … “The NFL WORST defense in NFL history … Since they fired Lovie.”
Goes back much further than that Lakeland. How about ‘Since Monte Kiffin left after the 2008 season’. During Tony Dungy’s tenure and Jon Gruden’s also, Bucs had a Top-10 defense … from Tony’s first year in 1996 through Chucky’s last year in 2008, we had a Top-10 defense in terms of POINTS AGAINST (and almost always in YARDAGE ALLOWED also) … except for in 2006 when we went 4-12, largely because the defense fell apart). The one and only constant? MONTE KIFFIN. And BTW, relook at 2006 and you’ll see that there were some significant changes that went on in the defense that year.
Agree with you also about the offense’s impact on the defense … and vice versa. It’s called COMPLIMENTARY FOOTBALL in my book, and teams that don’t demonstrate that lose more than they win. Winning the turnover battle is the classic example of playing COMPLIMENTARY FOOTBALL IMO. Two sides to that equation: The defense can CREATE TURNOVERS (which helps the offense), and/or the offense can GIVE UP TURNOVERS (which hurts the defense). COMPLIMENTARY FOOTBALL says give up fewer turnovers than you create … Duh!
Same argument though with time-of-possession (TOP). COMPLIMENTARY FOOTBALL says that if your offense controls the TOP for 35 mins/game, that only leaves 25 mins/game for your defense to screw up. Another Duh! Of course, having an offense that puts gobs of points on the board, controls the TOP AND doesn’t turn the ball over is the absolute best example of COMPLIMENTARY FOOTBALL. We can only dream …
October 21st, 2018 at 12:19 pm
@Schwifty
“Koetter could have done himself a huge favor and been much more successful if he had chosen a better DC and coaching staff.”
Nothing to argue with there..but take it back one step. If Licht were a better GM, he would have known Koetter was not HC material. Then Klueless put together/retained this staff. He was in way over his head from the beginning. Just like Licht.
October 21st, 2018 at 12:21 pm
87 love the positive out look bro I agree with you an maybe just maybe the defense will play with s little bit of pride this week
October 21st, 2018 at 12:31 pm
This was a good game
The Chargers and Titans
October 21st, 2018 at 12:32 pm
DR
That’s a valid argument, one that is a good formula for any team. What is not factored in is the dysfunction that is your Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
About this time of day on gameday, I always get my sliver of hope that maybe, just maybe…
The reality is Duffner’s got the same people to work with (our guys are our guys..ugh) So unless his pure genius has blossomed and been implemented in 4 days..I don’t think we see a massive improvement. Starting with Duff’s LB corps, they are just not good. That’s a shame because we have historically had strong LB’s
I also think the Browns are a better team. Yeah, I just said that out loud.
Always hoping for the best..GO BUCS!
October 21st, 2018 at 12:32 pm
Look, everybody wanted Smith gone….mission accomplished. I think we’ll see improvement on defense simply because I don’t think we can have any worse scheme than we had under Smitty. Yes, it will take time to implement a new scheme fully but I believe if we press more and come up with creative blitzes to keep the opposing offense off balance, our offense will score enough points to win most games. We don’t need a great defense to win, we just need a good defense and with the right scheme we will have that.
October 21st, 2018 at 12:38 pm
@jmarkbuc
I can definitely agree with you there, I even said I think of what things could be like if Licht had hired Sean Mcdermott who is a modern day defensive guru, while also retaining Koetter to continue on as OC working with Jameis. I honestly think we would more than likely be contending for Superbowls right now if that scenario played out in reality.
For all sad words of tongue and pen, The saddest are these: It might have been.
October 21st, 2018 at 12:44 pm
I think Mark Duffner is too old, he’s old school
The game has changed
The Bucs need young coaches
October 21st, 2018 at 12:47 pm
I still think a REAL President of Football Ops, and a good housecleaning are what it’s gonna take. Well that and the Glazers selling to someone who gives a damn.
Tony Dungy sounds like the perfect fit in a lot of ways, but I don’t think he would do the Glazers the favor.
October 21st, 2018 at 12:49 pm
The only reason we MIGHT see improvement on the defense: the shocking and in your face reminder that the NFL is a production business produced by firing Mike Smith.
October 21st, 2018 at 1:55 pm
Greatness so far
October 21st, 2018 at 4:59 pm
Same old crap show, different day.